So what scenarios have you played Recently?

[jrv]

I think the Americans need a lot to go right (rate, anyone? pass a NMC?) for them to make a game of it.

I would re-phrase this as, it can go bad for either side. I have seen the KPA melt like snowflakes in Miami. The Americans *feel* more vulnerable, but it won't often play that way unless the American player muffs it. Expect to lose one or more American SW. Between the ammo shortage and the low morale, somethings going to give.

JR

 

[Jude]

I would re-phrase this as, it can go bad for either side.

Heh, I think I could say that about for just about any scenario. I can only go by how my playing went and from what I experienced, the best I can offer is that the Americans have less room for error. One broken guy hurts way more for them than for the North Koreans.

 

[jrv]

Heh, I think I could say that about for just about any scenario. I can only go by how my playing went and from what I experienced, the best I can offer is that the Americans have less room for error. One broken guy hurts way more for them than for the North Koreans.

It is scarier to play the Americans, but I think it is not because they have a lesser chance of winning. I have played it twice. The Americans won once handily. The KPA won once on the last turn, and it easily could have gone the other way. Against a well-played attack it is by no means an easy defense for the Americans, but it looks worse than it plays. The American problems are pretty obvious, but they have strengths too that balance out. The KPA don't really have a big margin for error either. Their leadership is very suspect, and their offensive punch is short-ranged and mediocre at that. I think that ROAR gets it pretty close to right when it has the scenario at North Korean 17 to American 19.

JR

 

[Eagle4ty]

Played RPT78 Bounty Hunters with Mark Harms at our Twin Cities game day. We really enjoyed this attacking Chinese versus Japanese scenario set on board 2a. The VC was for the Japanese to have GO MMC in >=3 non-hut buildings (of six available). Three were on the perimeter and achievable more easily than the ones in the village proper. We both liked that the Japanese could set up ANYWHERE on the board and the Chinese had choices of two board edges to enter.

It ebbed and flowed the entire game as the Japanese slowly withdrew to the village. The Chinese were fortunate the three perimeter buildings fell rather easily. We talked afterward and felt any additional time taken to clear then could easily have made the push to the village too little too late.

The Chinese had two tanks and lost one early, but had secured the three perimeter VC buildings by turn two with only a Chinese HS loss via CC with 1.5 Japanese squads rolling high on a couple occasions and eliminated in CC and 0.5 to crew small arms fire on CCRF. The Chinese pressed on to the village and we traded punches with a well-timed banzai by the Japanese reinforcements really causing issues for the Chinese right flank that had positioned itself nicely. In the end, the Chinese were able to wrestle away one additional building for the win.

This scenario was a blast and close the ENTIRE way. Currently sits at 5-4 on ROAR with the edge to the Japanese. Very recommended.

Interestingly Curtis & I have set this one up for our next match (prior to reading your AAR), it looked like a good choice, we'll let you know how it plays out (I've got the Japanese). Nice AAR BTW.

 

[c600g]

Recently finished up DBOT5 These Goddamned Tommies vs. Steve Bond on Friday, and finally managed to chalk one up in the win column. I was greatly aided by an early (big) sniper attack that killed his 10-2 leader AND broke a squad. The subsequent LLMC cleaned up the rest, leaving a nice opening for me to hop on top for CC.

Of course, I had to get past his 360 pillbox with an HMG sitting in it. He promptly malf'ed it with boxcars, and I am pretty sure that I felt his spirit wither and die over Skype. A brutal turn of events, to be sure. He did get some revenge later in the scenario, rolling snake eyes in CC and wiping out my 10-2 arty leader and a squad.

Alan

 

[Jacometti]

Got my toes wet in Korea by playing 208 The Grist Mill. I wouldn't say this is a good introductory scenario to Korea since it plays pretty much like an early WWII Americans vs early war Russians, but still, it is an easy first scenario to try this theater out. Other than a rice paddy near the set up area, though, I just didn't get a new theater vibe. That's not a criticism, it's just an observation. Having said that, I played as the Americans. I usually play as the Axis (no reason, that's just the way my friend and I do it) so post war we decided to switch sides. I have to say I am a bit rusty with the US. I forgot how brittle the 6 ML squads are. Sure, the Italians are as well, but usually I get a bunch of them in a scenario. Six US squads vs 14 North Koreans was tough. My set up forced my friend to send a group of his troops into the gully. I kind of hoped that would happen due to the movement cost. My MTR team broke the first time they were shot at early in the game and I promptly lost that asset the rest of the scenario. I had some decent shots throughout the game - never with rate sadly, but that damn North Korean commissar brought back every broken guy sent his way. With too many targets and not enough unbroken troops to hold them back, my last green squad died in the victory building during CC on the top of the last turn. All I had left was a half squad manning the ammunition shortage broken 50 cal. He broke in the ensuing DFPh and that was that. Not a bad scenario, but way too small for my tastes. I think the Americans need a lot to go right (rate, anyone? pass a NMC?) for them to make a game of it. I'd still recommend it for either side. It plays super fast and my friend and I both enjoyed it. Next, on to something more meaty.

I found this a totally boring introduction to Forgotten War.

Could not find much fun or particular challenge in playing either side.

 

[lionelc62]

I found this a totally boring introduction to Forgotten War.

Could not find much fun or particular challenge in playing either side.

Agree. Not a very fun game for bith sides.

 

[Mister T]

I found this a totally boring introduction to Forgotten War.

Could not find much fun or particular challenge in playing either side.

I would find a slight challenge when playing the North Koreans. Playing the American side is no fun at all however.

 

[Jacometti]

I would find a slight challenge when playing the North Koreans. Playing the American side is no fun at all however.

Sometimes in the design process you have to say : "fine, this is about the best we can do with this idea or situation. Now from the players perspective is this worth the time and effort to actually play?"

At that point, it is perfectly reasonable to answer in the negative and either drop the scenario or start again from scratch.

That is where Grist Mill failed for me.

 

[Spencer Armstrong]

Sometimes in the design process you have to say : "fine, this is about the best we can do with this idea or situation. Now from the players perspective is this worth the time and effort to actually play?"

At that point, it is perfectly reasonable to answer in the negative and either drop the scenario or start again from scratch.

That is where Grist Mill failed for me.

I felt this way about all but one of the KASL scenarios I played. Maybe fine as simulations, but mediocre to bad gaming experiences.

Show us what can be done with the rules, Peter!

 

[jrv]

For me playing the Americans I always felt a terror about the situation. The KPA attack looked a little more prosaic, but was not trivial. It is by no means an exotic scenario. It is all-infantry, with only one piece of ordnance, and fairly small. It has hardly any special rules (Americans have early war failings; KPA have commissars). Within those limitations it is a fine scenario.

JR

 

[Mister T]

Show us what can be done with the rules, Peter!

Well in DTF-8 The Art of War he removed the two pillars of KWASL Chinese identity: restricted fire and IPM. It was radical but it worked in the context of this scenario.

 

[Jacometti]

It is all-infantry, with only one piece of ordnance, and fairly small. It has hardly any special rules (Americans have early war failings; KPA have commissars). Within those limitations it is a fine scenario.

JR

Just imagine if the designers had simply added another board, such that the .50 Cal and Victory Building would be in the centre of the playing area instead of wedged to a board edge? Would that not be a massive improvement to the supposed "fine scenario "?

Scenarios where one side is practically stuck against a board edge are simply flawed.

 

[Jacometti]

Show us what can be done with the rules, Peter!

I am working on a scenario to Make StuGs Great Again.... I think that has more appeal....

 

[Spencer Armstrong]

I am working on a scenario to Make StuGs Great Again.... I think that has more appeal....

StuGs, like America, are not in need of reaggrandizement.

 

[jrv]

Just imagine if the designers had simply added another board, such that the .50 Cal and Victory Building would be in the centre of the playing area instead of wedged to a board edge? Would that not be a massive improvement to the supposed "fine scenario "?

Then the Americans can be surrounded on four sides instead of just three, leaving them no rout options at all instead of few. Sweet! Just when you think despair has hit rock bottom someone blasts a hole. We will crush those Americans, comrade!

JR

 

[von Marwitz]

Scenarios where one side is practically stuck against a board edge are simply flawed.

Damn! And I always thought that RB was a good one.

Let us bulldoze and level the Volga.

von Marwitz

 

[Spencer Armstrong]

Damn! And I always thought that RB was a good one.

It's a common mistake, don't beat yourself up.

 

[Gunner Scott]

I hear you Pete on the validity of having such a scenario designed in that sort of manner. The main thing to remember is that it is supposed to introduce players in a very small morsel to the rules of the FW module. You could also design your own version as you see fit.

I found this a totally boring introduction to Forgotten War.

Could not find much fun or particular challenge in playing either side.

 

[Michael R]

Magnus Rimvall and I played DB135 The Block On The Trail To Hell; I had the attacking marines. I deployed a few squads to cover more hexes and to bump scout the Japanese defences. I also kept notes of which hexes I occupied at the end of each turn to know where the HIP Japanese could not be. I was able to push the Japanese troops away from the victory hexes by fire and by CC without many casualties. On American turn five, I found the Japanese HIP that was hoping to run into the VC area. I eliminated that unit on the next American turn; it was the last Japanese unit left on the map.